Broadcast Union News is a clearing center for information of interest to people working in television, film, print/electronic media, and theater. A chance for AEA, AFTRA, IATSE, IBEW, CWA-NABET, DGA, SAG, Newspaper Guild, WGA, and non-represented entertainment industry workers to share information with an eye towards improving wages, benefits, and working conditions for all.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Over 200 years ago, the Bill of Rights codified our most basic and cherished liberties as citizens of the United States. Now it's time for the following "Workplace Bill of Rights" to ensure that, no matter the economic climate, we have fairness, justice, and safety as working people in America:

1. Employees should be treated with honesty and respect.

2. Working full-time should guarantee a basic standard of living.

3. Workplaces should be free of discrimination.

4. No working person should be without health insurance.

5. No one should have to work his or her entire life.

6. Employees should be able to leave a job with dignity.

7. Every workplace should be as safe as possible.

8. There is more to life than work.

9. Employees are entitled to work together.

Today we find more and more Americans are worse off than their parents, or worried their children will be worse off than themselves. We must preserve the American Dream for current and future generations of hard-working people throughout our great nation. Pitting one group of workers against another results in a race to the bottom that we all loose.

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The CUNY Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies

Check out the labor classes available at the CUNY Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies. There is a joint CUNY/Cornell Certificate in Employee Labor Relations program, and undergraduate Union Semester program and the MA in Labor Studies program that I finished in June 2011 . See the info at: http://www.workered.org/

The East Coast Council handles production of low-budget feature films, defined as $8 million and below. The Council represents all below-the-line production locals within the IATSE (camera, hair, makeup, props, electricians, etc.) They take a flexible approach to the crewing of productions, by reducing member wages and benefits based on deferment.

For more information about the East Coast Council, contact either of its co-chairmen, Local 600 Eastern Regional Director Chaim Kantor (212-647-7300) or Local 52 President John Ford (212-399-0980).